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Selected articles from the Rec.Kites news group on bubble generators.
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Subject: Re: BUBBLES!
From: irving@sys.toronto.edu (Irving Reid)
Date: 28 Apr 93 20:20:34 GMT
era_pul@ki.ericsson.se (Peter Ulfheden ) writes:
>
>I've been thinking about entertaining my kids (and myself ;-) by making
>a wind powered bubble maker that could be raised with a kite.
>
>Anybody seen something like that?
>
>Peter
>
I have a Pustefix "Wirbelfix", which is a plastic airplane-shaped
bubble machine which uses the propeller on the front to turn bubble
wands through a trough full of bubble mix. I had to make a little
frame for it in order to hang it from my line and keep it pointing
into the wind.
It's very eye-catching; you get a long "tail" of bubbles streaming
from your kite line. Guaranteed to please all but the toughest
crowds.
The hardest part in designing something similar would be to keep it
pointing into the wind, and to keep it from tipping and pouring
bubble mixture onto innocent bystanders.
- irving -
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From: zpmobley@TRIDENT.TEC.SC.US
Newsgroups: rec.kites
Subject: Re: Bubbles
Date: 2 Sep 1994 13:53:07 GMT
>In article dangit@netcom.com (Lam
>Dang) writes:
>
>>I plan on doing a project/paper/modeling of the characteristics
>>of bubbles, such as their shapes, surface movements, how they
>>pop (the black spots right before), and possible other related
>>kinda of things.
...
I made a bubble machine once that flew from the bottom of my
delta....rotating wheel (wind rotates it) passes bubble wand through
a container of soap and as it comes out the bubble fly! Neat as
hell when winds are right.
tension and tight lines to ya.
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From: seanl@harlequin.co.uk (Sean Lange)
Subject: Re: Bubbles
Date: Wed, 7 Sep 1994 08:42:33 GMT
> I made a bubble machine once that flew from the bottom of my
> delta....rotating wheel (wind rotates it) passes bubble wand
> through a container of soap and as it comes out the bubble fly!
> Neat as hell when winds are right.
I too have tried a bubble machine under a delta. It was a small toy,
shaped like a plane with small trough for bubble juice and and prop
that when spun caused wands to dip in and out of the juice. In good
wind conditions if was great - a very impressive stream of bubbles.
The one problem I had was getting the gizmo into the air without
spilling half the bubble juice over me, the kite and the field.
Anyone else experience this and/or have solutions.
- sean
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From: zpmobley@TRIDENT.TEC.SC.US
Newsgroups: rec.kites
Subject: Re: Bubbles
Date: 7 Sep 1994 13:34:39 GMT
seanl@harlequin.co.uk (Sean Lange) writes:
>
>> I made a bubble machine once that flew from the bottom of my delta....rotating
>> wheel (wind rotates it) passes bubble wand through a container of soap and as
>> it comes out the bubble fly! Neat as hell when winds are right.
>
>I too have tried a bubble machine under a delta. It was a small toy,
>shaped like a plane with small trough for bubble juice and and prop
>that when spun caused wands to dip in and out of the juice. In good
>wind conditions if was great - a very impressive stream of bubbles.
>The one problem I had was getting the gizmo into the air without
>spilling half the bubble juice over me, the kite and the field. Anyone
>else experience this and/or have solutions.
>
>- sean
I had that problem as well...I don't have the perfect solution, but
if you center the prop in a deep wide bucket and only fill it a
quarter full it spills less than with the prop originating outside
the bucket. (I say bucket when I should say lightweight soap
solution container, don't try it with a 5 gallon galvanized pail
unless you have a hell of a delta!).
At the top place parallel strips of saran wrap alongside, but not in
the way of, the prop, and this will reduce spillage considerabley.
Using a stiff tape like duct tape to keep the wrap from blowing all
over and screwing up the airstream will produce better bubbles.
Also, use a little extra glycerine in the solution and shoot for dry
cool (cold) weather....hot dries bubbles and humid dilutes them,
both shorten bubble lifespan.
Make sure the wands are wide and serated to hold maximum quantity of
your solution and that the prop is hindered enough to keep it from
spinning crazy and throwing solution all over....Also, if you
strongly illuminate downwind from the underside of the bucket the
extra weight (again, don't overdue the weight or you'll be grounded)
helps keep it from swinging so wildly and the light makes great
colors in the bubbles at night.
...
Happy trails
Tom
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From: zpmobley@TRIDENT.TEC.SC.US
Newsgroups: rec.kites,alt.ascii-art
Subject: Re: Bubbles
Date: 12 Sep 1994 15:22:30 GMT
In article , Colin_Douthwaite@equinox.gen.nz (Colin Douthwaite) writes:
>zpmobley@TRIDENT.TEC.SC.US wrote:
>
> [bubble stuff deleted]
>> I had that problem as well...I don't have the perfect solution,
>So what size and weight of bucket are you describing and what
>diameter for the bubble wands ( I assume they are circular shaped at
>the ends to form the bubbles ) ?
>
I couldn't tell you the weight, but the bucket was app 12 x 12 x 6.
The wands I cut off of bubble wands (app 1" diameter), and the prop
was hand made. I cut off the end of a walnut dow rod for the center
piece and whittled my own props from walnut stock. It flew with the
wide side to the wind and required 4 bridles to hold it in place.
It would probably be better behaved with the narrow side to the wind
and by using ping pong halves below the wands rather than the prop.
May have more success in lighter winds also. Mine was crushed in
the next to last move I made, and I think that when I remake it I
will try it with the smaller sillouette to the wind and the ping
pong balls.
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Newsgroups: rec.kites
From: seanl@harlequin.co.uk (Sean Lange)
Subject: Re: Bubbles
Date: Tue, 13 Sep 1994 10:21:04 GMT
Sean Lange (seanl@harlequin.co.uk) wrote:
> I too have tried a bubble machine under a delta. It was a small
> toy, shaped like a plane with small trough for bubble juice and
> and prop that when spun caused wands to dip in and out of the juice.
What sort of dimensions and weight did this gadget have ?
Presumably it was made mainly of plastic with metal for the prop
shaft and wands ? What did the toy cost ?
The gadget was made of plastic, with a plastic prop and wands (3)
the only metal was the shaft from prop to wands. The tank for juice
was semicircular about 3in radius and about 3/4in wide (not big
enough in my experience). 3 mount points, both wings and tail.
Overall wingspan 9in, length 10in (all dimensions approx). Cost 5
quid.
- sean
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From: amirault@max.tiac.net (Richard Amirault)
Newsgroups: rec.kites
Subject: Bubbles!
Date: 12 Jun 95 00:10:06 GMT
I've just finished construction of a bubble machine. A friend of
mine made one. I got a copy of the plans from him and made one for
myself. I don't have the plans here at home, and I can't remember
the authors last name, but his first name is FELIX. (I wish I could
give the proper credit)
Gave the machine its first workout last weekend, and it was a
rousing success. It just shot bubbles out for hour upon hour, and
the kids went nuts (at least some of them)
Does anyone have any further information on making bubble solution
from scratch? I've been able to find commercial solution at a
reasonable price, but I want to investigate making my own solution.
Richard In Boston
amirault@tiac.net
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From: jburka@Glue.umd.edu (Jeffrey C. Burka)
Newsgroups: rec.kites
Subject: Re: Bubbles!
Date: 11 Jun 1995 21:29:36 -0400
In article ,
Richard Amirault wrote:
>I've just finished construction of a bubble machine. A friend of mine
>made one. I got a copy of the plans from him and made one for myself. I
>don't have the plans here at home, and I can't remember the authors last
>name, but his first name is FELIX. (I wish I could give the proper credit)
That would be Felix Cartegna. He's from...Delaware, as I recall,
and has been a long-time staple at mid-atlantic festivals, including
Smithsonian and SunFest. His bubble machines have always been
wildly popular, but as far as I know, he doesn't sell them, though a
few have appeared in SunFest auctions. And yes, Felix does kites
too. ;-)
>Does anyone have any further information on making bubble solution from
>scratch? I've been able to find commercial solution at a reasonable
>price, but I want to investigate making my own solution.
Felix has told me that he's tried various recipes for homemade
bubble solution, but has found commercial types to be much better.
He buys in bulk (I believe I've seen one gallon jugs under his rig).
Jeff
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From: amirault@laraby.tiac.net (Richard Amirault)
Newsgroups: rec.kites
Subject: Bubble Machine
Date: 22 Jun 95 02:21:01 GMT
In response to numerous requests, I will be sending out Felix's
plans to make a bubble machine. Those who have E-Mailed me with a
SNail Mail adress will have one within the week (I hope) Anyone
else interested in obtaining the plans send me persone EMail with
your postal address.
A short description to help you decide:
Parts cost from $50 to $70 not counting the 12v battery necessary to
run the thing. It does NOT fly on a kite, it sits on the ground on
top of a 5 ft mast held up by a 3' antenna tripod (about 6 ft total
height)
You will need to make some basic electrical connections, and some
basic mechanical work. Most part are available in your local
department store and Radio Shack (with one exception, a gearmotor
from Edmund Scientific)
The bigger the 12v battery you use the longer it will run (also the
more it will cost$),but you want to be able to put it out on/near
the flying field, not off in the parking lot.
At last weekends Boston Area Stunt Kite Championships (BASK) we had
two bubble machines, and were invited to bring them to next months
Newport (RI) competition! (we will!)
If you are interested, I'll be glad to help spread the word.
Richard in Boston
amirault@tiac.net
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